Pontoon assembly



-T. STOREY July 25, 1961 PONTOON ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1959 FIG. 7.-

INVENTOR Thomas Shay ATTORNEYS T. STOREY July 25, 1961 PONTOON ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1959 INVENTOR Thomass'brqg ATTORNEYS T. STOREY July 25, 1961 PONTOON ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 2, 1959 30 if. EEQK ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,993,459 PONTOON ASSEMBLY Thomas Storey, 30 Broadway, Bramhall, Cheshire, England Filed July 2, 1955!, Ser. No. 824,671 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 2, 1958 11 Claims. (Cl. 114-5) This invention relates to pontoons such as are used in the construction of rafts, and is an improvement in or modification of the invention forming the subject of my prior patent application Serial No. 648,644.

In the specification of such patent application we have described and claimed the use, in a pontoon assembly, of a plurality of inherently rigid sections, some at least of which comprise buoyant steel tanks, adapted for detachable rigid connection together by means of complementary projections on mutually opposed portions thereof, each such connection involving substantially horizontal interdigitation of apertured male and female lugs respectively at the upper parts of the juxtaposed sections, subsequent substantially ventical interengagement of male and femal hooks respectively at the lower parts of said sections, and finally the pinning to gether of the interengaged upper lugs in such manner as to prevent separation of said hooks.

The steel tanks aforesaid are of rectangular prismatic form, conveniently measuring 17 feet 4 inches long, 8 feet wide, and 4 feet deep, which provides a buoyancy or dead-weight capacity of tons at 9 inches freeboard Each end of such a buoyant section is provided, adjacent its upper and lower corners respectively, with two, lugs and two hooks, these projections being of male form at one end of the section and of female form at the other. Each side of the section is provided with two sets of similarly spaced upper lugs and lower hooks, these again being male at one side and female at the other.

Other sections, for use in connecting these steel tanks together, are non-buoyant but similarly provided with upper lugs and lower hooks, which, however, are of like (male or female) form at both ends of each section.

In my prior specification aforesaid I have proposed to utilize, in conjunction with the rectangular steel tanks, buoyant sections of similar construction but somewhat shorter than the others and having sloping bottoms to reduce the resistance offered to a flow of water longitudinally thereof, the intention being to employ such a bow section at one or each end of a barge or raft including one or more of the larger rectangular tanks.

Although any two of the latter can readily be connected end-to-end, side-by-side, or end-to-side whilst floating, by entering male lugs on one into female lugs on the other and then canting one section relatively to the other so that the male and female lugs at their lower parts override and engage one another prior to the pinning of the lugs together to lock the connection, the addition of a bow section is a less simple matter since its wedge shape in side view causes it normally to float with its deep end inclined to the vertical.

The present invention is based upon appreciation of the fact that this apparent drawback of a wedge-shaped buoyant section enables it to serve a purpose additional to that of augmenting the flotational capacity of a sectional barge or raft.

According to one aspect of this invention, I provide, for connection to the end of one of the rectangular sections aforesaid, a buoyant section wedge-shaped in side view which has hingedly mounted at each lower corner of its deep end an upstanding member whose inclination Patented July 25, 1961 to the latter is controlled by an adjustable tie-bar at the top thereof, each such member being provided with an upper apertured lug and a lower hook for connection to the complementary projections on the juxtaposed rectangular section.

It will be apreciated that a wedge-shaped section provided with the hinged connector members abovementioned can be floated freely up to the rectangular section with the said members presented substantially vertically for connection to the latter, after which the tiebars can be temporarily released from such members and traction applied to the wedge-shaped section so as to raise its deck towards, or even beyond, the horizontal.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a buoyant pontoon section wedge-shaped in side view, and having hingedly mounted at each lower corner of its deep end an adjustably inclined member with means for detachably connecting the same to the side or end of a rectangular buoyant section, is provided at the upper edge of such deep end with a hinged bridge structure adapted to rest upon the deck of said rectangular section after connection of the wedge-shaped section thereto as aforesaid, the wedge-shaped section under these conditions forming a floating ramp whose inclination relatively to the deck of the rectangular section can be varied to suit requirements.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing part of a sectional barge or raft having a wedge-shaped end section connected thereto in accordance with the present invention and shown at opposite limits of its permissible angular travel,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same assembly showing the end section in an intermediate position and adapted for use as a floating ramp,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing the parts in the same position as in FIG. 2, but drawn to a larger scale and sectioned in a longitudinal central plane,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the wedgeotherwise secured to a framework of angleand T-' section members.

The bow or ramp section 10 conveniently measures 12 feet long by 8 feet wide on deck, and is wedge-shaped in side elevation, its maximum depth being 4 feet.

At each lower corner of its deep end is fixed an apertured lug 12 hingedly connected by a captive horizontal pin 13 to a similarly apertured clevis 14 at the foot of a connector member 15 which is thereby enabled to swing in a vertical plane.

At its outer end the foot of this connector member 15 is provided with a downwardly directed (female) book 16 corresponding to those provided, as described in our prior specification, upon one side and one end of each of the larger sections 11.

The upper end of each connector member 15 bears extension plates 17 welded to opposite sides thereof to form a clevis and aligned holes 18 are provided in these plates at such a distance from the female hook 16 that,

secured thereto by a horizontal locking pin 21.

The body of the connector mernber 15 conveniently comprises side plates 22 welded to corresponding flanges of two opposed channels 23 as well -as to the lower edges of the extension plates 17 and a part 24 of the foot which carries the hook 16, the clevis 14 being formed in a second foot part 25 welded in overlapping relation with the part 24.

Near the upper corners of its deep end the bow or ramp section has upstanding clevises 26 fixed to its deck and a stout tie-bar .27 of rectangular cross-section is hingedly mounted in this clevis upon a pin 28 for movement in the same vertical plane as the adjacent connector member 15, whose extension plates 17 are connected at the top by an apertured filler plate 29 which at all times supports the swinging tie-bar 27.

The inclination of each connector member to the end face of the bow or ramp section 10 is controlled by a captive pin 30 passed vertically through any one of a row of holes 31 in the tie bar 27 to engage with the hole in the filler plate 29 and in a similar plate 32 fixed below the latter.

In connecting the bow or ramp section 10 to one of the component raft sections 11, it is floated freely up to an end or side of the latter which bears male lugs and male hooks 19, the thin end of the wedge-shaped section 10 under these conditions being just awash (as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1) and the outer end holes 3-1 of the tie bars 27 being pinned to the tops of the connector member 15 so that the latter are inclined forwardly, with their horizontal pin-holes 18 directly above their female hooks 16.

On correct presentation of the one section to the other, the connector hooks 16 will then ride over the submerged male hooks 19 of the larger pontoon section 11, whose male lugs 20 will enter between the extension plates 17 of the two connector members 15.

, Traction is afterwards applied to the upper part of the bow or ramp section 10 so that its connector hooks 16 will interengage with the male hooks 19, it being then possible to lock the upper ends of the connector members 15 to the male lugs 20 by means of the pins 21.

In the event of its being desired to connect the bow or ramp section 10 to an end or side of a raft section 11 provided with female hooks and lugs, use is made of the modified connector member shown in FIG. 5. This differs from the member previously described in having a one-piece foot 33 provided with the clevis 14- and a male hook 34 at opposite ends thereof, besides which the extension plates 17 are without the thickening pieces 35 which, in the previous construction, are welded to their inner sides for snug engagement of the male lug 20 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

. If necessary, the traction applied to the upper part of the section 10' is continued until the deck of the latter is substantially flush with that of the other section 11 (see FIG. 2) or even upwardly inclined shown in full lines in FIG. 1. In a convenient arrangement, the connector member 15 and tie-bars 27 are designed to permit the thin end'of the wedge-shaped section 10 to be raised or lowered some 2 /2 to 3 feet with reference to the decklevel plane of the raft.

Any suitable means may be provided for applying the necessary traction when lifting the bow or ramp section 10 as aforesaid, but it is preferred to connect the free ends of the two tie-bars 27 to chain-type lever-operated pull-jacks 36 suitably anchored upon the raft.

For example, when the bow or ramp section 10 is connected, to the end of the main section 11 and the sections are provided with raised gunwales 37 having pin holes therethnou'gh, a channel saddle 38 may be fixed to each such gunwale at a convenient position and a hook 39 on one of the pull-jacks 36 engaged with a d shackle 40 on an upstanding lug 41 on such saddle, the running block 42 of such jack being similarly connected to a shackle 43 at the free end of the adjacent tiebar 27.

To facilitate the transference of vehicles or other loads from the hinged bow or ramp section 10 to the main body of the raft, the deck of each section is provided with a timber grillage 44 which is laterally positioned by the raised gunwales 37 and located endwise by cut-outs (not shown) therein receiving various incidental projections from such deck.

In the case of the bow or ramp section 10, additional endwise location is obtained by engaging the outboard edge of the grillage 44 under a channel nosing 45 at the thin end of the section, its inboard edge abutting a series of upstanding lugs 46 which support a transverse rod 47 connecting the tie-bar clevises 26. The bar above rod 47 (FIG. 4) is welded along the front edge of frame 50 to provide a nosing for bridge 48.

Such rod provides a fulcrum for a hinged bridge 48 consisting of timbers 49 fixed to a metal frame 50 which has suitable half-bearings 51 at one end.

This bridge structure 48 is supported in a raised position during the connection of the buoyant sections 10, 11 together and is then lowered to rest upon the deck grillage 44 of the main section 11, sliding to and fro upon such grillage as the bow or ramp section 10 is raised or lowered to adjust its free end to the height required, by circumstances.

It will be appreciated that the present invention enables a sectional raft of the kind described in my prior specification to be loaded or unloaded whilst floating without the need for any quay or the like, the hinged ramp section 10 being left floating until it grounds upon a shelving shore and alternatively raised to co-operate with any bank which may be available.

Preferably the pin-holes 31 provided in each tie-bar '27 are elongated in a direction longitudinally of the latter to allow for its variable angular inclination relative to the associated connector member 15, and also to afford a measure of flexibility in the attachment of the bow or ramp section 10 to the adjacent raft section 11.

By forming each pin-hole 31 as a slot 3% inches long for co-operation with a 1% inch diameter locking pin 30, it is possible, with the latter in position, to raise or lower the free end of the bow or ramp section 10 through some 6 inches simply by tightening or relaxing the traction means aforesaid.

This allows the raft, when loaded, to take a further 6 inches draught before the floating ramp section 10 tends to rise in relation thereto and thus to stress the tie-bars 27 in compression. Similarly, if the loading of the raft calls for less than 6 inches of draught, the ramp 10 can be lifted clear of its grounding point, merely by operating the pull-jacks 36 or their equivalent to take up the play in the tie-bar pin-holes 31.

Preferably a baffle plate 52 is employed to cover the gap between the lower edges of the juxtaposed sections 10, 11 and thereby reduce the water resistance offered to the assembly during propulsion or towage. In the convenient arrangement shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this plate 52 is reinforced by two longitudinal angles 53 cooperating with brackets 54 to provide anchorages for pins 55 which are passed through spaced lugs 56 on the feet of the connector members 15.

I claim:

1. A wedge-shaped pontoon section for connection to the end of a rectangular buoyant section of a barge or raft comprising a buoyant tank having a deep end, upstanding connector members hingedly mounted at its lower end to said deep end of said tank, a pontoon section adjacent to said deep end, a hook at said lower end adapted to be engaged with a complementary member of said pontoon section, apertured tie-bars pivoted to said tank above said connector, means passing vertically through said tie-bars for connecting to said connectors in one of a plurality of inclined positions, and means for securing said tie bars to the upper part of said last named pontoon section.

2. The structure according to claim 1, further characterised in that the upper part of each upstanding connector member is represented by two laterally spaced plates adapted to accommodate between them, and to be pinned to, an apertured lug on said last named section.

3. TIhe structure according to claim 1, further characterised in that each lower corner of said deep end carries an apertured lug to which is pinned a clevis at one end of a foot portion of the adjacent upstanding connector member, the other end of such foot portion being formed with the hook aforesaid.

4. The structure according to claim 1 further characterised in that each upper corner of said deep end carries an upright clevis in which is pivoted one end of the adjacent tie-bar, the latter having a longitudinal row of holes through any of which a pin can be inserted into the top of the upstanding connector member.

:5. The structure according to claim 2, further characterised in that the laterally spaced plates at the top of each connector member are united to apertured filler plates through which the tire-bar pin is passed.

6. The structure according to claim 4, further characterised in that the pin-holes in each tie-bar are slotted longitudinally of the latter for the purpose described.

7. The structure according to claim 1, further characterised by a baffie plate attached to the lower ends of the upstanding connector members so as to cover the gap between the lower edges of the two sections after their connection as aforesaid.

8. In combination, a pontoon section according to claim 1 and traction means anchorable to the last named pontoon section for upwardly tilting the wedge-shaped section after it has been floated up to the latter and connected thereto as aforesaid.

9. The combination according to claim 8, further characterised in that the traction means aforesaid comprise a pair of manually-operable pull-jacks adapted for connection between detachable anchorages on the last named pontoon section and the free ends of the adjustable tiebars.

10. A buoyant pontoon section wedge-shaped in side view and having hingedly mounted at each lower corner of its deep end an adjustably inclined member with means for detachably connecting the same to the side or end of a barge or raft assembled from rectangular sections, the deep end of the said wedge-shaped section being provided at its upper edge with a hinged bridge structure adapted to rest upon the deck of the adjacent rectangular section after connection to the latter of the wedge-shaped section which thereafter forms a floating ramp with a variable inclination to the deck of said rectangular section.

11. The structure according to claim 10, further characterised in that the bridge structure has a metal frame with half-bearings adapted to seat upon a hinge bar fixed transversely of the wedge shaped section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 126,204 Hatch Apr. 30, 1872 1,363,039 Gussi Dec. 21, 1920 1,545,262 Kleven July 7, 1925 2,639,450 Rainer May 26, 1953 2,662,783 Swayer Dec. 15, 1953 2,847,961 Meckenstock Aug. 19, 1958 2,909,900 Suderow Oct. 27, 1959 

